On a Car Top

• First of all, if transporting a canoe is going to be more than a one-time occasion for you then you'll most likely want--and probably need--to invest in a roof rack. Once you've resolved the roof rack issue, place a towel or blanket across the roof. This will help cushion both your car roof and the canoe body. You can also invest in foam cradles ($15 to $20) or even boat cradles ($100) if you really care about the well being of your canoe.
  
  Next you'll need about 50 feet of top-grade rope, although depending on the size of your boat and car you could need more or less rope. Wrap some rope around the boat bow and tie one end to the front bumper on the passenger side, then tie the other end on the driver's side bumper. Then repeat this again for the stern and back bumper.
  
  For additional stability and security, take some tie-down straps and secure them to the roof rack after you wrap them around the boat. If you want to be even more certain that your canoe will remain in place until you're ready to move it, tighten the knots, thus ensuring they don't loosen.
  
  

In a Pickup Truck

• If you have a pickup truck, you should have an easier time tying down the canoe. First, slide the canoe into the bed of the truck. Once it is pushed up against the cab, a small portion of the canoe will probably protrude from the back of the truck. This back end of the canoe should have a top anchor point through which you can thread a strap. If there's no such anchor point, you can wrap the strap around the seat inside the canoe closest to the back of the truck.
  
  Take the two trailing ends of the strap and attach them to the anchor points in the pickup truck--one on the left side and one on the right side. Again, if the truck doesn't have anchor points you should be able to get by by tying the trailing ends the each side of the rear bumper.
  
  

Safety Precautions

• When you tie a canoe to a car or truck, always make sure to use top-grade rope and straps. Using low-quality supplies because nothing else is available or you don't feel you have the resources to purchase them can result not only in damage to your personal items, such as your vehicle and canoe, but also in bodily injury and other unforeseen accidents.
  
  Also, it's always a good idea to tie a red flag or some other noticeable indicator to the back or top of the canoe to warn other vehicles that you are carrying a large load.